News briefs for January 3, 2002

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 11:37 a.m.

Woman killed at bus stop

A woman waiting for a bus was killed this morning when a driver lost control of her sport-utility vehicle on rain-slicked streets at Eastern Avenue and Warm Springs Road.

The driver, who had two young children in the SUV with her, was trying to make a left turn from the northbound lanes of Eastern Avenue to southbound Warm Springs Road about 6:20 a.m., Sgt. Curt Albert, an accident investigator for Metro Police, said.

The vehicle slid sideways on the wet roadway and rammed a Citizens Area Transit bus stop.

A woman waiting for the bus was killed, and a 34-year-old man was injured and taken to University Medical Center, where he was in fair condition this morning. Neither was identified this morning.

The driver and the two children were not injured.

No cause had been determined, and it had not been decided this morning if charges would be filed, Albert said.

Notice filed in Vigoa case

Prosecutors last month filed a formal notice of their intention to seek the death penalty for Jose Vigoa, a Henderson resident suspected in a double homicide and a series of casino robberies.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Vigoa could receive the ultimate punishment for the March 2000 deaths of Richard Sosa, 47, and Gary Dean Prestidge II, 23.

The two armored truck guards were shot and killed during a robbery outside the Henderson Ross Dress-for-Less store.

Vigoa is also suspected of joining his brothers-in-law in robbing the MGM Grand, Desert Inn, Mandalay Bay and Bellagio.

A hearing will be held next week to determine if Vigoa, Pedro Duarte and Luis Suarez should all go to trial at the same time in connection with the heists.

Man found stabbed to death

The Clark County coroner has determined that a man found stabbed to death at his home Tuesday morning was Somyos Pinthong, 43.

Pinthong's 19-year-old stepson, John Amornuej, was arrested by Metro Police and charged with murder. Police said he interceded in an argument between Pinthong and his wife, Amornuej's mother.

There was no indication of a physical fight between Pinthong and Amornuej's mother, police said.

The homicide happened about 2 a.m. Wednesday at a home near Alta and Buffalo drives.

Victim was Las Vegas man

A Las Vegas man killed Tuesday in a traffic accident on Interstate 15 about 21 miles north of the California border has been identified by the Clark County coroner.

Alan Russell Gilberg, 24, was killed when the pickup he was driving north on I-15 crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer about 3 a.m.

The 18-wheeler was traveling in the slow lane, and Gilberg was traveling at a high rate of speed, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

Two LV men to be extradited

Two Las Vegas men accused of shooting a 19-year-old girl and leaving her for dead along U.S. 93 in Arizona are being extradited to Arizona on charges of attempted homicide.

Angel Espinosa-Palafox, 29, and Jaime Espinosa-Medina were arrested Dec. 29 in Las Vegas in connection with the shooting of Jenny Lou Torres, also of Las Vegas.

Torres was found between Wickenburg and Bagdad by members of the Bagdad Fire Department. She had been shot several times with an unknown caliber weapon.

Yavapai County Sheriff's spokeswoman Sharon Wachter said investigators do not know why Torres was shot.

The Nevada Highway Patrol

is investigating a fatal head-on collision near Laughlin late Wednesday night. One motorist was killed and another was in critical condition as a result of the accident that happened about 10:30 p.m. just north of Laughlin, NHP officials said.